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Summary of Proposed Amendments
This page provides links to changes recomended by the Whatcom County Planning Commission in October 2009. The proposed changes are based on comments from Whatcom County residents as well as Growth Management Act requirements and growth management hearings board decisions.PDS invites you to review and comment on this set of documents, which includes draft Comprehensive Plan amendments, draft zoning map amendments (rezonings), and draft zoning code amendments. Note: this proposal is a recommendation to the County Council; PDS staff is currently drafting a revised document for consideration by the County Council in the fall of 2010.
Most of the proposed Comprehensive Plan amendments are in Chapter Two, Land Use, which contains the Rural Lands element.These proposed changes update the county’s vision of rural character and replace land use designations and policies that were found to be out of compliance with Washington’s Growth Management Act (GMA).The new Rural Lands element would limit and contain more intensive uses and densities within Rural Center and Rural Business designations, which are limited areas of more intensive rural development (LAMIRDs), allowed by GMA.The proposed amendments to other Comprehensive Plan chapters are intended to maintain consistency within the plan, updating references to rural land use
The proposed changes to the land use designations appear on the draft Comprehensive Plan maps.These maps show the LAMIRD areas being changed to Rural Center or Rural Business, while the areas outside the LAMIRD areas would be changed to the Rural designation.The criteria by which these proposed designations have been drafted are listed in the draft Comprehensive Plan Chapter Two amendments, Goal/Policy 2HH, pp 10-15.
The proposed zoning map amendments show more intensive zones being retained within the Rural Center/Rural Business LAMIRDs (though some are changed to zones more compatible with rural areas), while land outside those areas would be rezoned to a rural zoning classification and density.
Proposed changes to Whatcom County’s zoning code (Title 20) are intended to make the county’s development regulations reflect the character of the county’s rural areas.Changes include new rural densities in the Rural Residential zone (RR) and a new Rural Industrial-Manufacturing zone (RIM) and Rural General Commercial zone (RGC). The new zones allow intensive uses appropriate to their location within a Rural Center or Rural Business designation.
This page last updated July 16, 2010.
Planning Commission Recommendation
Findings of the Planning Commission
Whatcom County Comprehensive Plan draft amendments
Whatcom County Code Title 20 Zoning draft amendments
LAMIRD Report updated to reflect final Planning Commission recommendation
Appendix to LAMIRD Report
Background Information on proposed new zones:
RIM - LII comparison
RGC - GC comparison
Zoning & Comprehensive Plan Maps
Please Note:
Existing zoning is in parenthesis, proposed zoning is not. Areas proposed for LAMIRD designation are colored. Parcels inside the affected areas, not included in a LAMIRD, proposed to go to a rural zoning/comp plan designation are cross hatched. Only the areas shown on the maps are affected.
TITLE 20 ZONING DESIGNATIONS in affected areas (key to abbreviations)
INDUSTRIAL
LII - Light Impact Industrial
GM - General Manufacturing
GI - Gateway Industrial
COMMERCIAL
GC - General Commercial
TC - Tourist Commercial
NC - Neighborhood Commercial
STC - Small Town Commercial
RC - Resort Commercial
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URBAN RESIDENTIAL
URM(12) - Urban Residential-Medium Density 12 Units/Acre
URM(6) - Urban Residential-Medium Density 6 Units/Acre
UR(3) - Urban Residential-3 Units/Acre
RURAL RESIDENTIAL
RR(3) - Rural Residential-3 Units/Acre
RR(2) - Rural Residential-2 Units/Acre
RR(1) - Rural Residential-1 Unit/Acre
TZ - Transitional-R5A/RR1
RURAL
R(2) - Rural-1Unit/2 Acres
OTHER
EI - Eliza Island |
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Acme
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Axton & Guide Meridian
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Birch Bay Lynden & I-5
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Blue Canyon
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Cain Lake
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Chuckanut
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Custer
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Deming
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Diablo
Zoning
Comp. Plan
East Lynden
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Eliza Island
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Emerald Lake
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Fort Bellingham
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Glacier
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Glacier Springs
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Glen at Maple Falls
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Gooseberry Point
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Guide Meridian Border Crossing
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Guide Meridian North
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Hinotes Corner
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Kendall
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Kwina
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Lake Samish
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Lake Whatcom
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Laurel
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Lummi Peninsula
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Maple Falls
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Newhalem
Zoning
Comp. Plan
North Bellingham
Zoning
Comp. Plan
North Lake Samish & I-5
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Nugents Corner
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Point Roberts
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Pole & Guide Meridian
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Portal Way North
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Sandy Point
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Slater & Elder
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Slater & Haxton
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Smith & Guide Meridian
Zoning
Comp. Plan
South Bay
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Sudden Valley
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Van Wyck
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Van Zandt
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Welcome
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Wickersham
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Wiser Lake
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Wiser Lake East
Zoning
Comp. Plan
Additional documents related to the Rural Element Update process can be accessed from the Public Process page.If you have questions or comments, please contact Planning and Development Services at the contact points listed below.
Whatcom County Planning and Development Services
Attention: Gary Davis, Samya Lutz, Michelle Stiles
Northwest Annex
5280 Northwest Drive
Bellingham, WA 98226-9097
(360) 676-6907
Email: pds@co.whatcom.wa.us
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